How To Simplify Your Blogging Content Plan

Is it non existent? Is it all over the show? Does it feel super frustrating?

Because, I swear it’s one of the most annoying things when you KNOW you’ve got cool blog content to share, but it’s like your brain just sits there pretending it’s on holiday or something.

Like, HELLO?

When did this creative joy suddenly all get so hard?

And more to the point…

When did blogging stop feeling like a passion project and more like some dreaded chore?

Listen, let’s get real here: blogging is HARD.
It’s damn hard. This isn’t 5 years ago; this is a totally different digital arena and it can get reeeeally overwhelming.

And I don’t care what anyone else says: blogging IS a full-time job in itself, so serious hats off to you if you’re blogging on the side of a 9–5. You are amazing.

Now, let’s simplify the hard stuff. YAY!

OWN YOUR BLOGGING JOURNEY

It’s soooo easy to fall into that comparison blogging game, isn’t it? You know, when you find a blogger you really admire and love their style and then all of a sudden you want to change your ENTIRE blog.

Ever felt like this? Gosh, it’s so frustrating!

But it happens, and I guess it’s just something we’ve just got to get into the habit of doing…

Having those daily pep talks with ourselves… (which no one else will ever see or hear!!)Which, remind us that what we’re doing IS good because we’re actually DOING it.

Our blogging journeys are all unique.

And we’ve got no business comparing or feeling crap about where we’re at right now.

I post about community and collaboration quite a bit on social media because I believe in it so much.
It’s that self doubt voice that tries to steer us away from doing what we love. So don’t listen to it!!!

BEAT BLOGGER’S BURNOUT

Last week, I did something I don’t normally do: I took a blogging break.

Because I felt so overwhelmed… and a little lost.

So I took some time to figure things out, and I promise, that week off was HEAVEN for my blogging soul.
When it all feels overwhelming, like you can’t keep up, here’s what I want you to do:

Push the pause button on blogging, immediately.

I know, it’s hard – it was for me too, but you know what I realised in that week of not blogging? It’s not a matter of life or death! Really. I created my own stress. I jumped on that hamster wheel, looked at everyone else, felt like I wasn’t good enough and tried to keep up.

And that’s really not what it’s all about.

Blogging should be FUN. It should light you up and get you excited.

Because you’re sharing your unique message with people who really want to hear from you. And that’s the important thing. Remembering WHO you’re writing for and how you want to help them.

STEP #1 – Dig Deep + Map Out Your Big Goals

Woohoo, another excuse to haul out those pretty journals.
Or, if you prefer to whip out a Word doc and get typing, go for it!

The point here is to just get HONEST about WHY you’re blogging.

Why did you start?

Is it to inspire people, to teach other people a skill, to share your life story, or to promote your business?
Maybe it’s just a cool, creative outlet? Or a fun reason to get out, explore more and blog about it?

There are many, many reasons people blog.

You need to zero in on YOUR blogging why. Then map out your blogging goals.

But don’t complicate it by mapping out a strategy for 12 months, because let’s be honest, a LOT can happen in a year. I’d say go with 1–3 months.

Your blogging goals

WHAT do you want to achieve with your blog?

This could be the same thing as your blogging why.

Maybe you just want to write it out and inspire people. If that’s it, GREAT!

Maybe you eventually want to start your own business and you’re using blogging as a side platform to gain exposure. Cool.

Or, maybe you already have a small biz or services and you want to share what you do with people. Awesome stuff!

Replace the “blog post #1” with one of these blog topics. Repeat for the rest of the weeks.

Finally, jot down social platforms and dates where you want to share your blog. For example, I talk about my latest blog post in my Sunday letters on Sundays, on Monday’s podcast, on Twitter throughout the week, and share on Pinterest, etc. You get the jist. Keep it simple.

Wow I love this post a lot. It really resonated with me as a blogger. Like you said in the end, it’s only ourselves that is causing the stress! Blogging should always be about passion, and if it starts to dwindle into frustration I think a break is key. I know for sure that I get overwhelmed by blogging because of the endless resources and ideas. Sometimes I have to remind myself why I started blogging when I feel this way. & comparing myself to other bloggers? Gosh it’s so hard, not to but we shouldn’t do it as much as we do because everyone is unique and on a different path.

Thanks Nichole! You’re so right – there’s SOOOOOO much out there in terms of learning new things and wanting to do this and that (and all RIGHT NOW!), it can get really overwhelming. It’s something I’m trying to put into practice everyday… just take it down a notch, chill a bit – don’t try to conquer the world in a week LOL. It is easy to compare, isn’t it? SO EASY. Impossible not to, as much as we try – I really like what you said about not doing it as much. Def working on this one too!

You know, friend, you have so many good ideas here. I was just talking about my own changes, and ta da! You outlined them here. And I did kind of take a step back this week: it was unintentional, but you know..I’m feeling more back into things. Going to head to the library in a little while to eke out this week’s blog post and then tomorrow I’ll edit.
Going to do some brainstorming…
And that bit about creating your own stress!? Honey, I WROTE the book on creating your own stress. HAHAH. Kidding aside, you hit the nail on the head there: we often create our own stress because of the pressures we put on ourselves. And when I let myself finally relax last evening and watch a second episode of Star Trek re-runs? It was bliss. 🙂 Great read here!

LOL!!! You make me laugh – “I WROTE the book on creating your own stress.” We’ve had so many convos about this kind of thing over the years, hey? Just too damn ambitious for our own good! 😉 I swear, this under-planning tip has been helping me so much lately. As much as I want to DO IT ALL right now, I’m forcing myself to take those baby steps. And it’s working! I’m so glad you made time to take a break! It does sound like heaven! I think you’re onto something here… think I’m going to do similar in a few; long day! Catch up soon 🙂 x

You’re SO right there! But to be fair… 5 years ago, it was basically a piece of cake. Blogging today = whole different ballgame! I love it too, but mostly, I love the community and ambitious creatives I’m meeting, like you! 🙂 x

Hi Jen! You’re welcome and YAY! I’m so glad you found this post helpful. It’s so weird, years ago, I was led to believe we all HAD to pick ONE niche and stick to it. But so much has changed today… we can switch and tweak and chop and change as we go / grow. But that “why” – that’s the key! Happy blogging 😉

So many good points! I took a 3 week break from my blog…it was like I needed to evaluate my whole life. I came back into it with so much perspective and my blog views literally doubled from month to month. I panicked like no one would ever look at my content, I would fall behind and instead it was the total opposite. Editing over 2 days…YES! If I do it in one I tend to rush and public tons of spelling errors and just minor mistakes. Very good tips.

Hi Renee! I love that you took a 3-week blogging break, that must have been bliss! And I get what you mean about feeling like people might not look at your content when you’re back… but you know, I think it gives them a chance to miss it and look forward to it. I think if I’m ever feeling really overwhelmed again, I’ll take a 2-3 week blogging break. That really does sound like such a great idea!

Hey Kerri! I hear you! It’s a CONSTANT work in progress for me, too. I think it’s just about trying different ways of doing things and seeing what works for you. And then if it feels too hard, switch it up or tweak or take a step back and try something else.

Very nice post! Until recently my blog was all over the place. No consistency, I had periods that I was full of ideas and had absolutely no time to write, and periods where my mind was simply dried up and I didn’t have any motivation whatsoever. Now, I am trying to follow these rules with the hope that it will help me, at the very least to be consistent. Ideas like having a calendar planning your posts a month ahead, and stop writing a post and publishing the same day, I found that are the most helpful.

Hey Ionna! Thanks for your comment 🙂 I think those two tips – content planning a month in advance and breaking up your blogging + editing days is going to help you SO much. It’s really been a game changer for me and I don’t feel stressed out about blogging anymore, in fact – I look forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays every week now lol. Hoping the same for you!

Hi Jessica! I think it’s so easy to feel like we’ve got to be everywhere and on every social platform all the time. It’s exhausting! The blogging breaks and giving ourselves time to *just* breathe is such a biggie. I wish someone had told me this a few months back! Happy blogging 🙂

[…] week, all set to write a post on feeling overwhelmed when I suddenly got a bad case of anxiety and blogger’s block. I couldn’t believe it… After WEEKS of being productive and finally getting into a […]

Hey, hey! WELCOME to Imagine You! I’m Melanie, the creative behind this blog. We’re all about self care, mindset, real talk and personal growth here. On the blog, you’ll find topics, tips and talks on doing what you love, balancing everyday life and feeling great about yourself – no matter where you’re at in your journey. Grab a cuppa and get inspired, join the community or chat and come say “hi!” I’m so glad you’re here.